1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safety razors and, more particularly, to safety razors that dispense a shave product such as shave cream, gel or lotion.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In the late eighteenth century a Frenchman, Jean-Jacques Perret, invented the safety razor. A safety razor protects the skin of the person being shaved from all but the very edge of the blade. Subsequent to Perret's invention, the first safety razor with disposable blades was released in the U.S. in the early 20th century. Shaving has now been primarily transformed into a personal hygiene activity utilizing safety razors that are either totally or partially disposable.
Evolution of the safety razor has now progressed such that they now have one or more parallel blades that are encapsulated in a molded cartridge. This molded cartridge presents the blades at an optimum angle to closely remove the desired whiskers or hair, while leaving the skin smooth and uncut. The cartridge may be permanently affixed to a disposable handle such that the entire razor, handle and blade cartridge is discarded once the blades become dull. Alternatively, a disposable cartridge is removably attached to a reusable handle, wherein only the cartridge is discarded when the blades become dull and is then replaced with a new cartridge. As discovered with those first safety razors, the user's skin and whiskers must be moistened and lubricated prior to shaving in order to obtain a close, smooth shave with minimal cuts and irritation to the skin. Thus, the process of wet shaving (i.e. using a safety razor in combination with water and a shaving cream or gel to moisturize and lubricate the skin surface) has become commonplace.
Today's society is increasingly mobile and many times a person has a need for carrying personal hygiene items to different locations. This need might manifest itself in a short trip to the local gym or on a longer business trip. In these instances, the traveler must often carry an entire personal care kit that becomes bulky with many personal hygiene items. Carrying both a razor and a pressurized container of shave cream can be inconvenient. Moreover, current airline travel restrictions imposed by the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) limit the size of containers that can be packed in carry-on luggage, specifically containers holding liquids, gels, creams and paste are limited in size to 3 ounces or less when carried by the passenger on the aircraft. Thus, smaller containers (3 ounces or less) for shaving creams, lotions and gels are much more desirable for travel.
Most shave cream and gel products are packaged in an aluminum can, under pressure, along with a propellant agent to promote discharge upon operation of a valve button. As noted above, the need to carry a separate container of shave cream is inconvenient when traveling, especially on commercial airlines. Additional problems associated with metal shave cream containers include the inconvenience of having to handle two separate items (i.e., a razor and a shave cream dispensing container) when shaving, as well as the added space needed in one's medicine cabinet to place both the razor and shave cream container. And, because the metal shave cream can is constantly exposed to water and moisture when shaving, the metal can eventually begins to rust. This results in the shaving cream can leaving unsightly rust stains (i.e. rings) on the vanity counter surface and/or shelves in the medicine cabinet.
One safety razor that attempts to alleviate the problems of a separate shave cream container provides an integrated shaving cream dispenser in its handle. However, in order to use the handle dispenser, the razor must be inverted, whereupon the shaving cream is dispensed into the user's opposite hand with the blade cartridge facing down and the blades close to the hand that is holding the razor. The razor must then be turned upright in the user's hand in order to shave. Such a procedure can be awkward and clumsy, especially when the user's hands are wet and covered with shave cream.
Ideally, what is desired is a readily accessible, convenient, and ergonomic shave product containment system integrated with a safety razor that can dispense the shave product downwardly from the lower end of the razor handle when the razor is held in the normal upright shaving position.